Monday, October 29, 2012

Embellished Right Angle Weave

or ERAW.....I used to call it wrong angle weave, but I've since decided it's not wrong and I don't want to give the wrong impression, so ERAW is what I'll call it.

What is it? If you've done single needle right angle weave correctly one of the things you learned was to never cross the intersection. You shared a side bead of a previous unit, one time exiting the top and traveling counter clockwise and one time exiting the bottom and traveling clockwise. Alternating every other stitch and never crossing the intersection. And then, if you're embellishing.....you exited one of those horizontal beads, picked up a bead and passed through the next horizontal bead.....crossing the intersection you just worked so hard not to cross.

What if instead you picked up that embellishment bead at the same time you wove the right angle weave?

There are a number of advantages to this approach. Of course it only works when your intent is to place a bead in the space, but with the Dream Keeper Vessel ring that is exactly my intent.

First I can travel in the same direction every time, less confusing to some.

Second it is faster

Third it uses less thread

Fourth it leaves more room in the holes, sometimes a good thing when additional thread paths are required

I've played with the concept and I can make a structural piece by pulling tight, popping the embellishment bead to the front of the space or I can keep it fluid by not pulling tight and letting the embellishment bead float in the space with little tension. Both approaches have their use.

In the Dream Keeper Vessel ring I've used this concept to make the most time efficient design. I'm busy writing directions for the new ERAW approach, stay tuned, I'll let you know when it's ready! Kits to follow.

I have always called this technique FRAW (faux right angle weave) and it's my favorite way to do RAW. All that turning around drives me crazy! This method is much more efficient, especially if you're just going to put stuff in those empty spaces anyway! :)